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BHUTAN, which is a landlocked country, is about 300km long and 150km wide, encompassing 46,500km2.

It is bounded north and north-west by Tibet.

Besides Tibet, Bhutan also borders with India: On the east by the States of Arunachal Pradesh, on the south by Assam and West Bengal and on the north by Sikkim that covers the old trade and expedition routes from India and Lhasa. In 1921, the first British Everest Expedition team has made an attempt to the Mountain via the Chumbi Valley and marked on the beauty of the sacred Bhutanese mountain of Jhomolhari, which towers over the valley. Virtually the entire country is surrounded by mountains and elevates from 100m to the Kulha Gangri Peak (7554m) on Tibetan border. Bhutan is divided into three major geographic regions from north to south: The high Himalayas on the north and the foothills and plains on the south

AREA: 46,500 sq km (17,954 sq miles).

POPULATION: 776,000 (July 2015 est.)

CAPITAL: Thimphu. Population: 115,000 (2015)

LANGUAGE: Dzongkha is the official language. A large number of dialects are spoken, owing to the physical isolation of many villages. Sharchop Kha, from eastern Bhutan, is the most widely spoken. Nepali is common in the south of the country. English has been the language of educational instruction since 1964 and is widely spoken.

CLIMATE There are four distinct seasons similar in their divisions to those of Western Europe. The Monsoon occurs between June and August when the temperature is normally between 8°-21°C (46°-70°F). Temperatures drop dramatically with increasing altitude. Days are usually very pleasant (average about 10°C/50°F) with clear skies and sunshine. Nights are cold and heavy woolen clothing is required, particularly in winter. Generally October, November and April to mid-June are the best times to visit – rainfall is at a minimum and temperatures are conducive to active days of sightseeing. The foothills are also very pleasant during the winter.

Lightweight cottons in the foothills, also linens and waterproof gear, light sweaters and jackets for the evenings. Down or fiber filled jacket & woolens for evenings, particularly in winter and a pair of good walking shoes, walking or hiking is fun for visiting this country.

TOURIST SEASONS

A visit to Bhutan can be planned anytime of the year but the best period is from mid-September to May, you can see black crane and the clear mountain view of Hamalayas range, only that in Dec, Jan and Feb months are chilly, may be snowing for someday. The peak seasons, when most visitors come to Bhutan, are during the Spring and Autumn. Spring is from April through June and autumn from September through November.

TRAVEL requirements for tourist visiting Bhutan

The minimum daily package for tourists travelling in a group of 3 persons or more :

USD $200 per person per night for the months of January, February, June, July, August, and December.

USD $250 per person per night for the months of March, April, May, September, October and November.

SURCHARGE applied for single and 2 persons travelling together

Minimum charges per days inclusive of

~ Accommodation in Bhutan at 3 stars local hotel ( 4 or 5 stars hotel have to pay an additional cost )

~ 3 Meals per day provide at either hotel or local restaurants

~ Tour guide and all internal transport

~ Tourism Royalty

~ Entrance fee to sites

~ Comping equipments and haulage for trekking ( for trekking tour )

FOOD & DRINK

Spicy chilies (ema) and cheese (datse) blended with a wide variety of fresh vegetables are a daily staple of the Bhutanese diet. Emadatse is the national dish of Bhutan. Red and or white rice is served at all meals. Dairy product, in particular butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are very popular in the country.

Meats, poultry and fish are also found in Bhutanese menus along Tibetan momos and noodle dishes.

Most of restaurants at local hotels are served with mini buffet around 5 to 6 dishes or in set menu.

Coffee and tea are readily available throughout the country; however, a traditional alternative is Suja, or salted butter tea. Although not for the diet-minded, it's a tasty concoction which will give you energy to start your day, or warm you on a cold night.

Several types of locally consumed beers are also readily available which typically come in 750 ml bottles. A local specialty is Arra, a type of wine or whiskey, which can be served plain or with egg and butter although not always for the faint at heart. Other local wines can also be found depending on your location. There are imported drinks are expensive as there is 100% taxes applied.

VACCINATIONS, HEALTH AND FITNESS:

There are no statutory requirements unless you are arriving from an area designated as infected by cholera or yellow fever. Please consult your doctor or vaccination centre for up to date information and if you are on any prescribed medication that you bring a sufficient supply with you. As Bhutan is a remote country and Paro is at altitude (2,300metres) we advise that all guests over the age of 55 years or with a pre-existing condition consult the doctor about the travel plans especially for trekking tours.

HEALTH Centre in Hongkong for Travelers

Consult your doctor or health CENTRE to advise you such matters including Anti Malaria Medication, Yellow Fever and vaccinations at least one month before taking the trip.

It’s absolutely essential to have adequate travel insurance covered, especially for the purposes of flight cancellation, delay or any other unexpected incidental cases occurred during the trip and to enjoy the journey with a peaceful mind.

Take the travel insurance that meets your needs and understand its coverage

Validity: Visas are granted for a month and can be extended at a fee of NU510 per person.

Application: Visa applications for all tourists processed by the travel tour agent through the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB). To obtain a tourist visa, all tourists must settle full payment to handling agencies before visa is granted. Passport must have validity of at least 6 months validity

MONEY

Currency: 1 Ngultrum (NU) = 100 chetrum (Ch). The Ngultrum is pegged to the Indian Rupee (which is also accepted as legal tender). Notes are in denominations NU100, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.

The currency can only exchange within Bhutan, you may exchange some local currency upon arrival at Paro airport.

US Dollars are also widely accepted throughout the kingdom.

Credit cards: VISA or MASTER CARDS are accepted by handicraft/gift shops or hotel; however American Express and Diners Club have very limited acceptability.

Currency restrictions: None, but foreign currency must be declared on arrival.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

It is the passengers responsibility to obtain all required travel documents, visas and permits, and for complying with the laws, regulations, orders, demands and other travel requirements of countries of origin, destination or transit.

There are two ways of entering Bhutan: by air to Paro Airport or by road to the Bhutanese border from India. All travelers entering the country by road must ensure that they have the necessary documentation for transiting through that part of India to Bhutan. There are Druk Air and Bhutan Airways flying to Paro from Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai in India, Kathmandu in Nepal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Singapore.

COMMUNICATIONS Telephone: Services are restricted to the main centres. Country code: 975. All other calls must go through the international operator. Outgoing international code: 00.

Internet, Mobile phones, Wifi Service

Most of foreign cell or mobile phones worked in the country; however some PDAs may not receive signal yet in Bhutan, better check with the system provider to ensure you have the service in the country. Most of hotels in the country have Internet or WIFI service, please check with the hotel for the charge before using, signal may not be good at some rural areas.

HOTEL

Most of local run hotels are similar, minimum daily package inclusive of hotel accommodation at local 3 stars hotel, which are basic but clean and comfortable. There are some local hotels in rural area or home stay in Bhutan will not provide toiletries or hair dryers etc…, suggested to bring during the trip. However there are some deluxe hotels or resorts in the country which has pool, Gymnasium and Spa and some of them included meals, as the food choice at local hotels are limited. All the hotels ranked 4 stars or up rates are NOT included with the daily minimum package, tourist has to pay extra for staying at those hotels.

GRATUITY

Tipping is considered as part of your guide’s income and depending on how satisfied you are with their service. Suggested for US$5.00 per person per day traveling with a group of over 10 persons and US$10.00 per person per day tipping for driver and the local guide(s) by traveling in a small group.

All land arrangements within Bhutan are solely at the discretion of our land operators who control the final scheduling of sightseeing programs based on current situation of the day or period like weather, flight schedule, traffic condition etc……. Those situations are not under our control and cannot be held responsible for sudden changes.